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How To Make Fruit Roll-Ups Roundup

Well, I guess it’s officially about to be back to business around here. School starts for my kids in a little over a week and I am already being bombarded by lunchbox requests. I really don’t mind at all considering most of my daughter’s friends wouldn’t be caught dead carrying a lunch from home. Eliza is a bird of a different feather though, always has been, and enjoys healthy lunches packed by moi. Eliza is obsessed with homemade fruit roll-ups (AKA: fruit leather) so this year I am sending her back to school with homemade strawberry vanilla bean roll-ups because when you’re almost 13 you need more sophisticated roll-up flavors.

I make fruit roll-ups in my dehydrator because it allows me to keep my oven free for dinner, and I can leave the house without worrying about the oven being on. Don’t worry if you don’t have a dehydrator though because I am including instructions in the recipe for making these roll-ups in the oven too .

So…let’s make fruit roll-ups!!

Step 1: Place 4 cups of hulled, chopped strawberries, seeds from 1/2 of a vanilla bean, 1-2 tablespoons of agave, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a blender.

If you have a dehydrator like mine you can simply wipe the fruit roll-up insert trays with a little coconut oil and pour the purée on top. Spread the purée evenly across the tray. I find that 2 cups of purée per tray is the perfect amount. If you don’t have inserts you can line the trays with plastic wrap and coat them lightly with coconut oil. Just make sure you cut a hole in the center of the plastic wrap where the column is so that the air can circulate through.

Set the temperature between 135°F and 140°F and dehydrate for 4-6 hours. {WARNING: Your kitchen will smell like pure decadence}

Step 4: When the purée is no longer tacky to the touch and easily lifts around the edges it is done. Allow the fruit roll ups to cool completely.

Step 5: Cut the roll-ups into desired shapes and store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

Strawberry Vanilla Bean Fruit Roll-Ups

Ingredients

Instructions

For the dehydrator

Place all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until completely smooth.

Wipe the fruit roll-up insert trays with a little coconut oil and pour the purée on top. Spread into a nice even layer. I find that 2 cups of purée per tray is the perfect amount. If you don’t have inserts you can line the trays with plastic wrap and coat them lightly with coconut oil. Just make sure you cut a hole in the center of the plastic wrap where the column is so that the air can circulate through.

Set the temperature between 135°F and 140°F and dehydrate for 4-6 hours until the purée is no longer sticky to the touch it should be completely dry.

Allow the fruit roll ups to cool before cutting them into desired shapes.

For the oven

Preheat oven to 150 degrees F or the lowest temperature your oven will go. Line a 11 x 17 baking sheet with a Silpat baking mat or parchment paper. Set aside.

Place all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until completely smooth. Pour the puree on to the sheet pan and spread it out into an even layer.

Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 4-6 hours, until the fruit leather is set and the center is no longer tacky.(Every oven is different, so the cooking time may vary) Remove the pan from the oven and let cool to room temperature. Gently peel the fruit roll-up from the Silpat. Cut into squares or strips using a pizza cutter, knife, or scissors. If you want to make fruit roll-ups, roll the strips in parchment paper.

If using parchment paper to line your baking sheet simply cut the sheets of parchment into strips for roll ups. Store in an air-tight container up to 1 month.

Um, why am I not eating this right at this very second? We have matching dehydrators you will be happy to know. Strawberries are almost out of season where I am, have you ever tried using frozen fruit?

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ABOUT MEG

Meg van der Kruik is the writer, mother, photographer, designer, cook and creative spirit behind This Mess is Ours. After her infant son was diagnosed with a gluten allergy, she dedicated herself to learning to make meals the whole family would love. It’s a bit of a mess – cooking for a vegetarian and three meat-eaters with a range of gluten + dairy sensitivities, but she manages to bring them together every night around their little family table.